Album DescriptionAvailable in:
The Beatles wrote songs that were not only seemingly instant classics blessed with sturdy and often breathtakingly beautiful melodies, but that were also remarkably flexible vehicles for musical exploration, and have been covered in all manner of styles. Since the musicians of Jamaica have never met a tune that they couldn't tip over into one reggae phase or another, it's not really a surprise that there are enough Beatles covers from the island to easily fill this three-disc, 50-track collection. It's a fun listen, with lots of surprising little versions, including Willie Lindo's jazzy lounge take on "Norwegian Wood," Ernest Ranglin's graceful and spirited guitar instrumental version of "You Won't See Me," the Paragons' vocal harmony-drenched "Blackbird," Toots Hibbert of the Maytals turning "Give Peace a Chance" into a full-tilt island revival meeting and a delightfully casual dub instrumental rendering of "In My Life" by the Pioneer All-Stars which manages to somehow convert the reflective resignation of John Lennon's original into a thing of joyous hope. In the end, what impresses with this set are the gazillion different ways one can approach a song by the Beatles, and also the manner in which reggae works like a giant rhythmic sponge to bring everything under its umbrella, even the Fab Four.
User Album Review
None...
External Album Reviews
None...
User Comments